<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="https://community.element14.com/cfs-file/__key/system/syndication/rss.xsl" media="screen"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"><channel><title>RoadTests &amp; Reviews</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/</link><description>The element14 RoadTests are an extensive collection of detailed product reviews for engineers that are written by members of the group. The reviews cover a wide range of new B2B products used for in the engineering design and development process. Product r</description><dc:language>en-US</dc:language><generator>Telligent Community 12</generator><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236128</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 20:54:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:b892d44c-fbae-44b5-8341-0d12a6c94159</guid><dc:creator>alabek</dc:creator><description>As a new member in this roadtest community, I would like to make a review of something that I know to learn the process of reviewing in general and improve how I use my tools along the way.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236127</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:07:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:f43a0b01-b0ea-42d7-a589-17c307839e22</guid><dc:creator>gam3t3ch</dc:creator><description>As long as audio is good people can forgive quality a bit is what I found.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236126</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:59:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:f38ec254-ee58-4afe-8c5b-a9784975c7b7</guid><dc:creator>beacon_dave</dc:creator><description>I sometimes grab the external webcam to use handheld but often need a third hand to be able to hold it in the right position, whilst still holding the part you are working on; then you still need to adjust focus and hit the shutter release to take the photo. Not so bad here at the desk but if you are in a MEWP bucket 8m off the ground working by torchlight, it might start to get a wee bit tricky. There appear to be a couple of design flaws in the older style SpeakON chassis connectors when working with 4mm&amp;#178; wire. Firstly, you can&amp;#39;t use bootlace ferrules and secondly there is an obstruction partly inside the terminal requiring the wire to be inserted at a particular angle to avoid it, however with bare stranded wire it then starts to get a bit &amp;#39;interesting&amp;#39;. Trying to quickly get a photo/video of that whilst you are working is tricky but it is exactly the type of thing you might want to be able to include in a write-up.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236125</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:27:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:83b2ae29-7443-48f3-a433-519bbb207d41</guid><dc:creator>shabaz</dc:creator><description>I&amp;#39;d love to see these sorts of items in quick videos/photos too. Regarding recording, often nowadays I just use my mobile phone, because if I get out the proper camera and set it up, it&amp;#39;s just too much time consumed. For me, I&amp;#39;ve decided I&amp;#39;m willing to tolerate the lower-quality, if it means I become more likely to record something than not.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236124</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:09:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:e736e8bb-934c-42a0-82a8-83b562405f7e</guid><dc:creator>gam3t3ch</dc:creator><description>I like this idea this is great. I usually have a shopping cart of connectors, supplies, random sale items I dont need but want for no reason and things on newark and wait til I hit the minimum for shipping. reminds me I need to go buy some more connectors thanks Dave lol and my wire strippers I like are in my storage locker....might have to take a look at them knipex.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236123</link><pubDate>Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:01:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:ea35865b-fc36-4f9b-ac1a-1292d5d40af7</guid><dc:creator>beacon_dave</dc:creator><description>Speaking of connectors, this week I was thinking that my desk was starting to resemble a Farnell advert... 144x Neutrik SpeakONs Multicomp 4mm&amp;#178; bootlace ferrules Penn Elcom 19&amp;quot; punched rack panels Multicomp 4mm&amp;#178; tri-rated switchgear wire Knipex cable shears Knipex wire strippers Knipex bootlace ferrule crimps Knipex cable dismantling tool Wiha nut driver so perhaps there is some scope to combine a number of stocked products into a useful product-focused blog. Not only that but like many will have done, I&amp;#39;ve gone through a number of tools along the way so potential for comparisons between tools along the way. One of the issues perhaps is capturing enough video/photo content, especially in the field, to then be able to later create a blog around. I suspect that will soon change with the wider adoption of camera glasses.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236118</link><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 18:24:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:04c05a48-69f5-4f90-b900-c27e967a4407</guid><dc:creator>beacon_dave</dc:creator><description>How about something like a &amp;#39; Product14 &amp;#39; area based along the lines of the current &amp;#39; Project14 &amp;#39; area ?</description></item><item><title>PSOC™ Edge E84 AI Kit RoadTest – Supporting Sustainable STEAM Projects with Edge AI</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/rv/roadtest_reviews/1914/psoc_edge_e84_ai_kit_roadtest_supporting_sustainable_steam_projects_with_edge_ai</link><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:16:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:65abe755-38ca-46ec-8b1b-7f2e21cb0636</guid><dc:creator>alfadar</dc:creator><description>Introduction The integration of Artificial Intelligence into embedded systems is becoming increasingly important in technical and vocational education. Students are expected to develop intelligent systems capable of sensing, processing information, and interacting with their environment. As part of my Master&amp;#39;s Degree in STEAM Education, I developed real-world educational AI projects, a sustainability-focused educational project that combines sensors, computer vision, gamification, and data analysis to promote recycling and environmental awareness in schools. The current implementation relies mainly on Raspberry Pi-based hardware. This RoadTest aims to evaluate whether the Infineon PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit can serve as an alternative or complementary platform for similar educational projects. Rather than focusing exclusively on AI performance, this evaluation will assess the platform from an educational perspective, including ease of setup, documentation quality, sensor integration, connectivity, deployment complexity, and suitability for student projects. The ultimate goal is to determine whether the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit can support real-world educational applications such as real-world educational AI projects while reducing system complexity and improving hardware integration. Phase 1 – Out-of-the-box Experience The objective of this phase is to evaluate the first user experience with the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit, including the unboxing process, initial setup, documentation quality, and access to the factory-installed demonstrations. Unboxing The kit includes the PSOC Edge E84 AI board and a 0.3 MP USB camera module with a USB-C cable. The packaging also provides a QR code that gives direct access to the official documentation and software resources. First Power-Up The board was connected to a Windows PC using the KitProg3 USB-C connector (J1). Upon power-up, the amber power LED (LED5) illuminated and the green LED (LED1) started blinking, indicating that the Out-of-Box (OOB) demonstration was running. UART Access Following the Quick Start Guide, Tera Term was configured to use the KitProg3 USB-UART COM port with the recommended settings (115200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit). After pressing the reset button (SW2), the board displayed the boot menu, providing access to the available demonstration applications. of Documentation Review Quick Start Guide – Clear and easy to follow User Guide QR Code Resources – Fast access to documentation and software First setup completed in a few minutes Documentation focuses mainly on initial setup Additional exploration is required for advanced development Demo Evaluation Voice Assistant The first demonstration tested was the Voice Assistant application. The onboard microphones successfully detected the wake word &amp;quot;Okay Infineon&amp;quot; and correctly executed several voice commands. During testing, commands such as &amp;quot;turn on the light&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;change the light state&amp;quot; were recognized and executed correctly. The serial terminal displayed both the detected command and the associated intent, making it easy to verify the system&amp;#39;s operation. The response time was fast and the recognition accuracy was good under normal office conditions. Gesture Detection The second demonstration evaluated the onboard XENSIV 60 GHz radar sensor. The system successfully detected multiple gestures including Push, Swipe Left, Swipe Right, Swipe Up and Swipe Down. Gesture recognition was displayed in real time through the UART terminal and proved to be responsive and reliable during testing. This demonstration highlights one of the most distinctive features of the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit, as radar-based interaction is rarely available on educational development boards. First Impressions The initial experience was very positive. The board was operational within minutes, the UART interface worked as expected, and both factory-installed demonstrations performed successfully. Voice recognition and radar-based gesture detection worked reliably, providing an immediate showcase of the platform&amp;#39;s AI and sensing capabilities. At first glance, the combination of integrated sensors, wireless connectivity, and Edge AI features makes the board particularly attractive for educational and STEAM-oriented projects. Phase 1 Summary Phase 1 was completed successfully. The board was operational within minutes, documentation was easy to access, and both demonstration applications worked as expected. The radar-based gesture recognition was particularly impressive and highlighted one of the platform&amp;#39;s most distinctive features. In the next phase, I will explore the onboard hardware in greater detail, including the radar sensor, environmental sensors, IMU, connectivity options, and their potential use in educational AI projects such as personal projects (EcoChallenge). Phase 2 – Hardware Exploration and Sensor Evaluation One of the main reasons I was interested in the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit is the large number of integrated sensors and peripherals available on a single board. In many educational projects, including EcoChallenge, multiple external modules are often required to provide sensing, connectivity, and interaction capabilities. The objective of this phase is to evaluate whether the onboard hardware can simplify this process. Tests Planned XENSIV 60 GHz Radar Sensor Environmental Sensors Motion Sensors (IMU and Magnetometer) Audio Subsystem Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity I will start with the XENSIV 60 GHz radar sensor, one of the most distinctive features of the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit. Radar Sensor Evaluation The following tests will be performed: Gesture detection reliability Detection range Response time Detection through different materials Potential educational applications Test Setup The PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit was positioned vertically on a desk as recommended by the demonstration software. The factory-installed Gesture Detection demo was used without modification. Figure 1. Test setup used for radar gesture evaluation. Figure 2. Push gesture performed during radar detection testing. One unexpected observation was that gesture recognition was noticeably more reliable when the hand remained fully open. This suggests that the radar classification model may be sensitive to the shape and radar cross-section of the detected object. Results Distance Attempts Successful Detections Success Rate Observations 60 cm 10 10 100% Reliable detection when using an open hand. 100 cm 10 8 80% Occasional misclassification between Push and Swipe Left. Discussion At a distance of approximately 60 cm, the radar sensor achieved a perfect detection rate, correctly identifying all ten Push gestures. At approximately 100 cm, the detection rate decreased to 80%. In two of the ten attempts, the Push gesture was misclassified as a Swipe Left gesture. While this may be partly influenced by the way the gesture was performed, it suggests that classification accuracy decreases as the distance from the sensor increases. Another observation was that gesture recognition was more reliable when the hand remained fully open during the movement. Partial hand closure appeared to increase the likelihood of misclassification. Even at a distance of one metre, the radar sensor remained functional and responsive, which is impressive considering that most gesture-based interfaces are typically used at much shorter distances. Conclusion The XENSIV BGT60TR13C radar sensor demonstrated excellent short-range gesture recognition performance and maintained usable detection capability at distances up to approximately one metre. These results suggest that the sensor is well suited for touchless interfaces, interactive educational projects, and smart sensing applications. Test 2 – Detection Through Materials The objective of this test was to evaluate how the Gesture Detection demo behaves when different non-metallic materials are placed between the hand and the radar sensor. Test Procedure Launch the Gesture Detection demo. Place a material between the hand and the radar sensor. Perform the Push gesture several times. Observe whether the gesture is detected correctly or misclassified. Figure 3 e 4. Test setup used to evaluate gesture detection through materials (paper and plastic) placed between the user&amp;#39;s hand and the radar sensor. Results Material Detection Behaviour Observation Paper Partially detected The sensor detected some gestures, but classification became unstable. Plastic Detected more consistently than paper Gesture detection worked better than with paper, although some confusion between gestures was still observed. Conclusion The detection-through-materials test showed promising but mixed results. The radar continued to detect movement through paper and plastic, but gesture classification became less reliable. Plastic performed better than paper in this quick test, but further testing with different materials and thicknesses would be required before using the sensor behind an enclosure. T he radar sensor was still able to detect movement through both paper and plastic, but the gesture classification became less reliable compared with open-air testing. Phase 3 – Edge AI Evaluation The main objective of this phase is to evaluate the Artificial Intelligence capabilities of the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit and determine how suitable the platform is for educational Edge AI applications. As part of the EcoChallenge project, AI is used to analyse environmental data and classify waste materials. Therefore, understanding the workflow required to deploy AI models on the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit is particularly relevant. Tests Planned Development environment installation DEEPCRAFT Studio evaluation AI model deployment workflow Execution of example AI applications Assessment of educational usability Test 1 – Development Environment Setup The first objective of this phase was to evaluate the effort required to prepare a development environment for the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit. Installation Process The installation process was straightforward and completed in less than five minutes. ModusToolbox – Available for Windows, macOS and Linux. DEEPCRAFT Studio – Windows version available. Both applications were downloaded and installed without issues. Observations From an educational perspective, the setup process is considerably simpler than many AI development environments that require multiple frameworks, SDKs, or manual dependency management. The documentation provided sufficient guidance to locate, download, and install the required software. Project Creation Experience After installing ModusToolbox , I proceeded to create my first project for the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit. The board support package (BSP) was not installed by default and had to be downloaded during the project creation process. The procedure itself was straightforward, but it required downloading additional software components, middleware, and supporting packages. As a first-time user of the Infineon ecosystem, I found myself following the guided setup process without always fully understanding the purpose of every component being installed. Fortunately, the development environment handled most of the configuration automatically. The project creation process completed successfully without errors, although it took noticeably longer than the initial installation due to the automatic download and configuration of required dependencies. Educational Perspective From an educational point of view, this experience was interesting. Creating the first project did not require advanced technical knowledge, but understanding the architecture of the development environment, BSPs, middleware, and supporting libraries would likely require additional explanation for students. Compared with environments such as Arduino IDE, the setup process is more complex. However, it also provides significantly more flexibility and access to advanced hardware features. Current Assessment Item Assessment Software Installation Easy BSP Installation Automatic Project Creation Successful Dependency Management Mostly Automatic but not always transparent Student Friendliness Good, although some guidance would be beneficial Conclusion: The development environment proved easy to install and use, but the first project creation process revealed the complexity hidden behind the platform. While the tools automate most tasks, understanding what is happening behind the scenes requires some familiarity with embedded development concepts. The next step is to evaluate DEEPCRAFT Studio and explore the AI workflow provided by the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit. Test 2 – DEEPCRAFT Studio First Impressions After installing DEEPCRAFT Studio, I explored the available AI templates and project accelerators. The first impression was very positive. The interface is clean, modern, and organised around practical Edge AI applications rather than low-level machine learning concepts. A wide range of ready-to-use projects is available, including IMU-based activity recognition, microphone processing, vibration analysis, object detection, and anomaly detection. For this initial evaluation, I selected the Movement Type Detection example, which uses IMU sensor data to classify different types of motion. From an educational perspective, DEEPCRAFT Studio appears significantly easier to approach than traditional AI frameworks such as TensorFlow. Students can focus on understanding AI concepts without being overwhelmed by software complexity. One particularly interesting aspect is that AI workflows are presented as guided projects, reducing the barrier to entry for newcomers. DEEPCRAFT Studio provides ready-to-use AI project templates, reducing the barrier to entry for students and educators exploring Edge AI applications. Educational Assessment Could a student use this platform without significant assistance? Yes. Based on my initial experience, students with basic programming skills should be able to install the software and start exploring AI examples with minimal guidance. First Impression Score User Interface: ★★★★★ Ease of Use: ★★★★☆ Educational Suitability: ★★★★★ Documentation: ★★★★☆ Interim Conclusions At this stage, the PSOC Edge E84 AI Kit has exceeded my initial expectations. The platform provides an impressive combination of sensors, wireless connectivity, and Edge AI capabilities in a single board. From an educational perspective, the integrated hardware significantly reduces system complexity compared with Raspberry Pi-based solutions that often require multiple external modules. The next steps will focus on deploying and evaluating AI applications to determine whether the platform can support real-world educational projects.</description><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/infineon">infineon</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/sensors">sensors</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/edge%2bai">edge ai</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/radar">radar</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/Embedded%2bSystems">Embedded Systems</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/machine%2blearning">machine learning</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/iot">iot</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/PSoC%2bedge%2be84">PSoC edge e84</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/steam%2beducation">steam education</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/At%2bthis%2bstage_2C00_%2bI%2bconsider%2bRaspberry%2bPi%2b5_2D00_based%2bAI%2bsolutions%2band%2bESP32_2D00_S3%2bAI%2bdevelopment%2bboards%2bto%2bbe%2bthe%2bclosest%2balternatives-%2bThe%2bRaspberry%2bPi%2boffers%2bgreater%2bsoftware%2bflexibility_2C00_%2bwhile%2bthe%2bPSOC_2221_%2bEdge%2bE84%2bAI%2bKit%2bprovides%2ba%2bmuch%2bmore%2bintegrated%2bplatform%2bwith%2bonboard%2bsensors_2C00_%2bradar_2C00_%2bwireless%2bconnectivity_2C00_%2band%2bEdge%2bAI%2bcapabilities_2E00_">At this stage, I consider Raspberry Pi 5-based AI solutions and ESP32-S3 AI development boards to be the closest alternatives. The Raspberry Pi offers greater software flexibility, while the PSOC™ Edge E84 AI Kit provides a much more integrated platform with onboard sensors, radar, wireless connectivity, and Edge AI capabilities.</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/Test%2bEquipment">Test Equipment</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/No%2bmajor%2bproblems%2bwere%2bencountered%2bduring%2bthe%2binitial%2bevaluation-%2bThe%2bboard%2bwas%2brecognised%2bimmediately%2bby%2bWindows%2band%2bthe%2bUART%2bcommunication%2bworked%2bas%2bexpected-Additionally_2C00_%2bsome%2bfamiliarity%2bwith%2bserial%2bterminal%2bsoftware%2bsuch%2bas%2bTera%2bTerm%2bis%2brequired-%2bOverall_2C00_%2bthe%2bsetup%2bprocess%2bwas%2bstraightforward%2band%2bcompleted%2bwithin%2ba%2bfew%2bminutes_2E00_">No major problems were encountered during the initial evaluation. The board was recognised immediately by Windows and the UART communication worked as expected.Additionally, some familiarity with serial terminal software such as Tera Term is required. Overall, the setup process was straightforward and completed within a few minutes.</category></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236112</link><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:22:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:d54ea53e-cf3b-4bcb-98d9-4ea96f678590</guid><dc:creator>gam3t3ch</dc:creator><description>One aspect I really like about this idea is that it could provide a valuable entry point for newer community members who may not yet have a RoadTest history. Many applicants have strong technical skills and interesting project ideas, but they often have no previous RoadTest reviews to reference when applying for more competitive opportunities. Allowing members to create RoadTests using equipment they already own could help build a portfolio of work and demonstrate their testing methodology, technical writing ability, photography, data collection, and overall review quality. In a way, it could serve as a RoadTest &amp;quot;resume builder.&amp;quot; Members would have an opportunity to show the community what they can do before applying for larger RoadTests, while manufacturers and the element14 team would gain additional insight into the quality of a member&amp;#39;s work. It could also encourage greater community participation by giving members a reason to create detailed technical content around products they already use and understand well. Even modest supplemental items, accessories, sensors, test equipment, or expansion modules could help enhance these reviews and make them more valuable to readers. Overall, I think this could be a great way to help develop new reviewers, increase community engagement, and create a stronger pool of applicants for future RoadTests.</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Are there any products you own - that you'd like to write a RoadTest Review for?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/56742/are-there-any-products-you-own---that-you-d-like-to-write-a-roadtest-review-for/236108</link><pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 11:42:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:9a1a014e-7a6a-4e79-a76e-45de95e091d9</guid><dc:creator>kk99</dc:creator><description>I think that is a good idea. Additionally, it could be a nice motivation e.g. a small discount for Farnell store on a product that given person wants to buy and, thanks to that, perform a RoadTest.</description></item><item><title>Foil Headwave Aluminium aTtenuator DevKit (FHATD)- Review</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/rv/roadtest_reviews/1917/foil_headwave_aluminium_attenuator_devkit_fhatd-_review</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 23:54:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:75dc7e40-ba91-406a-97ea-b58578d15ce9</guid><dc:creator>gordonmx</dc:creator><description>Foil Headwave Aluminium aTtenuator DevKit (FHATD)- Review First off, I would like to thank Element 14 for the opportunity to evaluate the FHAT Development Kit (“the Hat”) and at the same time have a little fun. Summary Conclusion – I must admit, if used properly, the shielding material was well suited for shielding electric field, but the FHATD failed miserably during my thermal testing. Although I wouldn’t recommend the material be used in high temperature environments, the results of my experiment were very tasty. As far as electric field shielding at high frequencies (above ~1 MHz), the skin effect means most of the RF energy interacts with a thin surface layer. Increasing thickness beyond the skin depth adds little extra shielding. ( ref: www.national-shielding.com ) Pros – The FHATD shielding worked well for electric-fields. Cons – The shielding material doesn’t work well for high temperature environments, unless you’re hungry. Limited documentation. The vendor documentation was very limited. One could say non-existent, but thanks to the internet, not a “show stopper”. Overall, the design is workable and I would recommend the FHATD for a potentially good starting point in understanding future product features. Useful Documents Links- NOTE: Logging into the respective websites may be required to access some of the documents. Element 14 RoadTest Website - Engineers needed to review the element13 Foil Headwave Aluminium aTtenuator DevKit - element14 Community History of aluminium - Wikipedia RF Shielding Materials: Copper vs. Galvanized Steel vs. Aluminum Compared – National Shielding Part I – A Little more about Aluminum Before digging into details of the “kit”, let’s start with a little information about this metal. Rats! I gave it away. Yes, aluminum is a metal with an atomic number 13, right next to Silicon on the periodic table, for which Element 14 gets its name, but I digress. Once again courtesy Wikipedia (among other sources), “Aluminum is classified as a post-transition metal in the boron group (group 13) . It is in period 3 , and its block is p-block . Its most common isotope is ^27Al , with 14 neutrons…” in the nucleus. Although it is a non-ferrous metal, it’s 13 electrons circulating its atomic core makes it a great conductor, as well as a great electric-field shield. However, its not so great at shielding magnetic fields. Being non-ferrous, it won’t rust, but can easily oxidize under certain environmental conditions. Pure aluminum, in nature, is rarely found in its metal form, but as hydrated aluminum oxides (bauxite) or aluminum potassium sulfate (alum). In 1825, a Danish physicist, Hans Christian Orsted, combined the common element form with potassium amalgam to refine the pure metal. Part II – The Unpacking: Welcome to the unpacking, and our first look at the actual FHATD. I have read many different views on the value and/or importance of the unpacking segment, but I feel it is important because it is often our first glimpse into what to expect in the product and support. I’m excited to road test this kit because it was just goofy. The dev kit arrived in a puffy envelope, yet undamaged due to the masterful folding of the content. The shipping evelope also included a fair number of stickers (not shown here). Part III – What is the FHATD? The FHATD consisted of: ~18 10”x12”x.002” Sheets of Textured Aluminum Foil - Folded A Boat-Load-of-Stickers (I believe that is the technical term) – Not shown Part IV – Assembling the FHATD Experiment (or Now for the fun stuff): Step 1 – Gather all the stuff needed, including 1) Foil sheets, 2) Olive oil, 3) a Fork (or other poky thing – another technical term) and of course your Device-Under-Test (DUT). Being from Idaho, USA, for my tests the DUT was a potato. Step 2 – Using a fork (or other poky thing) puncture the surface of the DUT to reduce the internal pressure during the test. Step 3 – To avoid surface scarring, coat the external of the DUT with olive oil. Step 4 – Completely wrap the DUT with a foil sheet Part V – The Thermal Test and Result: Step 1 - Pre-heat your thermal chamber to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit (F) – Hey, I’m in the USA. Step 2 - After the thermal chamber has reached the target temperature, place the DUT into the chamber for 1 hour. Step 3 - Remove the DUT after the test duration is complete and examine for thermal shielding effectiveness. OOPS! It would seem that a single foil layer did not protect the DUT from a 400 F environment for 1 hour. Although the single layer shield What I didn’t try (much) and what’s next * I didn’t get around to trying extra butter. * Maybe I should try a lower (i.e. 350 F) temperature next time. * Increase the number of foil layers. Please let me know if I missed something in my review or if you have any questions. Also please pardon my typos. Gordon Margulieux Twin Falls, ID USA</description><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/aluminium">aluminium</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/Foil%2bHeadwave%2bAluminium%2baTtenuator%2bDevKit">Foil Headwave Aluminium aTtenuator DevKit</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/Copper%2bfoil">Copper foil</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/Workshop%2bTools">Workshop Tools</category><category domain="https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/tags/My%2bDUT%2bwas%2btoo%2btasty">My DUT was too tasty</category></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236072</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:37:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:87a3d163-47c7-438a-ae1b-ff12840c9d6b</guid><dc:creator>MechWarrior</dc:creator><description>I love everything that NI offers. I&amp;#39;m an NI super fan! I&amp;#39;m looking for a project to present to the University (ETS in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) for them to consider my application as a mature student for entry into the Masters of Electrical Engineering program. I think that using this module would put me ahead of the competition and also provide you with a thorough evaluation of the product. I&amp;#39;m already dreaming up ways I can use it to its full potential. It would be a WIN-WIN. Please consider me!</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236069</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:12:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:2e98e808-e74e-455b-906d-0c32f443ecd5</guid><dc:creator>F1GWR</dc:creator><description>I&amp;#39;m a NI customer since Labview 1.1. Currently using Labview Community 2026Q1patch2. Also radio-ham F1GWR since 1982, and can compare this SDR with my Icom 9700, Kenwood TS-990 and Elecraft K3s in real world. Can also test it via geostationary satellite QO-100 with my offset 120 cm dish and PLL LNB converter. And to evaluate this SDR for specifications, own a full range of VNA (HP8753C, HP 8510C + 8341A), SA (HP 8565E, Agilent N9020A), NF test set ( HP 8970B + 8971C) , synthesized generators ( HP 8663A, Systron-Donner 1720B) , and receiver measurement test set (HP 8901A+8902A+8903A)</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236068</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:02:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:c019bd3e-4fd9-4396-b5ad-8a82b4dbab68</guid><dc:creator>saramic</dc:creator><description>yeah wow cool toy, I am not sure I could do it justice but some experiments I would love to be able to run are attempt Passive Radar - detect pasing aircraft by correlating direct signal against reflections from the airplane a home EMC Survey - sweep 70 MHz to 1 GHz for all the worst RF polluters, I have done this a bit with a TinySA and you find some cool things emitting RF I had a car stolen recently (I ended up finding it randomly abandoned in next suburb) but it has made me think of checking out the reply attacks on my car remote control see if I can measure the Doppler shift of individual satelites by capturing raw satellite signals for GPS tuned to 1575.42 MHz see if I can have a 2.4GHz Household RF Map watch Wi-Fi channels, Bluetooth hopping, Zigbee sensors, and microwave oven leakage coexist in real time. Turn devices on and off, identify each protocol purely by signal shape before confirming with a decode tool. good luck all!!!</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236067</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:52:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:e053e11f-2149-4ab6-99cd-dd357b390df5</guid><dc:creator>afernandez</dc:creator><description>Absolutely yes! I’m working now with rf systems and I try to learn all i can do!</description></item><item><title>File: pwm</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/m/managed-videos/151426</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:37:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:fa25d28b-0f37-4dc6-ae86-b8079e3da7ce</guid><dc:creator>neerajrd82</dc:creator><description /></item><item><title>File: switch</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/m/managed-videos/151425</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:37:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:d0260e3d-78aa-4c7f-8d9a-edac9438b90f</guid><dc:creator>neerajrd82</dc:creator><description /></item><item><title>File: blinky</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/m/managed-videos/151424</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:37:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:ec723177-349a-4cb5-9012-1b334e30f98e</guid><dc:creator>neerajrd82</dc:creator><description /></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236065</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:58:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:30f655d8-5684-4a35-8323-d283d3fe1ad6</guid><dc:creator>Sudhanshu555</dc:creator><description>I would like to test video transmission on it. Thanks</description></item><item><title>Forum Post: RE: Would you like to review the NI USRP B206mini-i?</title><link>https://community.element14.com/products/roadtest/f/forum/57024/would-you-like-to-review-the-ni-usrp-b206mini-i/236064</link><pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:12:00 GMT</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:723a4779-bf6b-4dcb-90f0-06c7d350db55</guid><dc:creator>dougw</dc:creator><description>Looks interesting. SDR exploration is on my bucket list.</description></item></channel></rss>